David Letterman

"There's only one requirement of any of us, and that is to be courageous. Because courage, as you might know, defines all other human behavior. And, I believe - because I've done a little of this myself - pretending to be courageous is just as good as the real thing." – David Letterman

David Letterman has never met a spinning pencil or microphone that he didn't like. As the host of CBS's Late Show and also the longest-running late night talk show host on television, David Letterman always gives insomniacs and drunk college kids something entertaining to look forward to. Whether he's encouraging pets and humans to perform showstopping shenanigans, making inappropriate comments about Bristol Palin, throwing pencils at the camera (to the sounds of shattered glass), or seeing how many times a joke can be repeated until it's no longer funny, David Letterman is a late night institution. Even in the face of controversies like an alleged extortion plot implicating him with some of his female employees, David Letterman's ratings remain solid, and his controversies only seem to help him add new faces to his sleepless audience.

MAGNETISM

David Letterman and his gap-toothed expressions are more famous for being funny than flirtatious, but that hasn't stopped celebs like Drew Barrymore and Courtney Love from dropping their tops on the air to give him an eyeful. At first glance, he's the walking definition of an unlikely sex symbol, but David Letterman's lightning-paced sense of humor and $30 to $40 million annual paycheck are a good start for attracting some female affection. In addition to that, People named David Letterman as one of its 25 Most Intriguing People in 2001, which gives him the added attraction intangible of leaving women wanting to know more about him.

Some humorists would like to think that David Letterman is too busy cracking jokes to have any kind of a sex life, but this is far from the case. It was his first wife, Michelle Cook, who gave him the necessary courage to explore the stand-up comedy circuit in Los Angeles, and his future girlfriend, Merrill Markoe, who helped to develop some of his most beloved late night sketches like the always entertaining Stupid Pet Tricks. Currently married to Regina Lasko since the beginning of 2009, David Letterman has also admitted that he's enjoyed personal liaisons with staff members, which have led most people to conclude that women, sex and everything in between aren't too hard for him to come by.

SUCCESS

David Letterman's welcome sarcasm and incessant wit have made him an Emmy- and American Comedy Award-winning favorite as a guest host on The Tonight Show, the host of Late Night and now the master of ceremonies on CBS's Late Show. While even his supporters would agree that his hosting of the 1995 Academy Awards was an entertaining misfire, David Letterman learned from his mistakes and stays relevant in pop culture through the ability to continually leave people who are half his age doubled over in laughter. Besides, if it weren't for him, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon wouldn't have enjoyed careers as late night talk show hosts.

David Letterman's lucrative tenure as a late night talk show host across two different networks has allowed him to explore other projects in entertainment and sports. Through his production company, Worldwide Pants Inc., he created the successful television series, Ed and Everybody Loves Raymond, as well as the theatrical film, Strangers with Candy. A lifelong fan of Indy racing, David Letterman is also the part owner of Rahal Letterman Racing, and celebrated a first-place finish by his driver Buddy Rice at the 2004 Indy 500.

David Letterman Biography

David Letterman's dual interests in comedy and auto racing were developed through childhood in his hometown of Indianapolis. His dad, Harry, was the family's comedian-for-hire, always willing to do his best to get a laugh at family gatherings and other social events. It was a skill that inspired his son to someday do the same. The family's proximity to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway spawned David Letterman's interest in auto racing and, in time, he came to have his own collection of model automobiles.

While attending Ball State University, David Letterman got his feet wet as a broadcaster for the campus radio station WBST. His tenure there was short, as he got the axe for dissing classical music on the air, but he would find new work at WAGO-AM before taking the plunge into television at Indianapolis's WLWI. David Letterman's trademark off-color humor came through in his work as the station's weatherman where he once rattled the WLWI brass by offering kudos to a storm when it was reclassified as a major hurricane. Following a 1971 stint with ABC's Wide World of Sports as a broadcaster for the Indianapolis 500, David Letterman left for Los Angeles to pursue a career that leaned closer to comedy rather than conventional broadcasting.

david letterman hosts late night on nbc

The legendary Comedy Store in Los Angeles gave David Letterman an honest outlet for developing his stand-up comedy skills. Following appearances on TV's Mary (starring Mary Tyler Moore), Mork & Mindy (with Robin Williams) and game shows like The Gong Show and The $20,000 Pyramid, David Letterman got his first big break in 1978 as a guest host for talk show king Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. Two years later, he was given the keys to his own NBC daytime show, The David Letterman Show, but low ratings gave it a swift exit, despite its two Emmy Award victories. NBC brass would give the sarcastic comic another shot in a much later time slot as the host of Late Night with David Letterman in 1982. The show became a hit on the college circuit, as young viewers came to appreciate David Letterman's acid-tongued barbs, Stupid Pet Tricks and occasionally combative celebrity interviews with megastars like Cher. One of David Letterman's most famous incidents on Late Night involved a dual interview-turned-fight between comic Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry Lawler, which would later be re-enacted by Jim Carrey, Jerry Lawler and David Letterman himself for the 1999 film, Man on the Moon.

The retirement of Johnny Carson in 1992 brought with it much speculation that David Letterman would take over the reigns of The Tonight Show. When the news was revealed that guest host Jay Leno would fill Carson's shoes, it led to a breakdown in the once-harmonious working relationship between NBC and David Letterman. In 1993, he jumped networks to CBS, setting the stage for a late-night talk show battle between him and Jay Leno. David Letterman's departure from Late Night would also open the door for a new talk show host named Conan O'Brien to replace him and forge his own late night career.

david letterman hosts late show on cbs

The move to CBS sent David Letterman inside the walls of the Ed Sullivan Theater with a new time slot and a spiffier wardrobe (suits instead of sweaters) to go along with it. Although Jay Leno would maintain a steady hold over Late Show in the ratings wars, David Letterman still kept a loyal following and entertained them with his nightly Top 10 lists, amusing letters segments and new faces like local deli man Rupert Lee. A-list celebrities still frequented the show with often-unpredictable results. Courtney Love and Drew Barrymore each flashed the host, Madonna unleashed a torrent of F-bombs during one disastrous appearance and a barely-there Joaquin Phoenix appeared for a bizarre interview that ended with David Letterman saying, "I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."

Despite the many sarcastic sound bites and amusing comedy interludes that have come out of Late Show, David Letterman has been known to put on a refreshingly honest and brave face when called upon. His emergency quintuple bypass surgery in 2000 led to a rousing return and a very public thank you to the hospital professionals who prolonged his life. A year later, he was the first talk show host to return to the air for an emotional show following the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, that was selected by Time as 2001's Best TV Moment. In 2009, David Letterman continued to tout his relevance by becoming the first talk show host to have U.S. Presidents (Barack Obama and Bill Clinton) on back-to-back episodes. In the midst of watching his ratings climb after an ill-advised put-down of Bristol Palin and the departure of Jay Leno from The Tonight Show, David Letterman made a very personal issue into a public one when he revealed (in his typical self-deprecating style) that a CBS producer allegedly tried to extort him out of $2 million over allegations that the host was sleeping with several of his staff members. Now faced with the barbs of other talk show hosts being directed his way, David Letterman handled it in his usual tongue-in-cheek way while continuing to hold his own with the support of his faithful audience.